Flipkart to collect plastic packaging from customers

New Delhi: Walmart-owned e-commerce marketplace, Flipkart has rolled out a new initiative that focuses on creating awareness among consumers on the proper disposal of plastic packaging and make them active participants in its sustainability agenda.

As part of this initiative, Flipkart is conducting a pilot project to collect plastic packaging back from consumers at select hubs across Mumbai, Bengaluru, Dehradun, Delhi, Kolkata, Pune, and Ahmedabad, the company said in a statement.

The pilot aims at ensuring existing plastic packaging in the system is recycled and reused. Under the program, Flipkart will send out an intimation to consumers asking them to voluntarily hand over plastic packaging to Flipkart wishmasters for its proper disposal, at the time of product delivery. The collected packets will then be sent to registered vendors to ensure it is disposed of responsibly to avoid ending up in landfills.

This program is in continuation of Flipkart’s sustainability agenda under which it has already reduced the utilization of single-use plastic by 33% and aims to move towards 100% recycled plastic consumption in its supply chain by March 2021.

“Flipkart is a committed corporate citizen who is mindful of its role towards environmental sustainability. We have taken bold steps towards reducing single-use plastic in the system by replacing it with various eco-friendly alternatives and are constantly innovating with our approaches. The recently initiated pilot program ensures that our biggest stakeholder - consumers, is one of the key enablers of this initiative and will help drive awareness. We are proud to be the first-ever e-commerce marketplace to channelize plastic packaging back into the system through door-to-door collection with the help of our wishmasters. We believe a collective approach of all stakeholders would help us in achieving the dream of a Swachh and Samridha Bharat, and the country's vision to phase out single-use plastic,” said Rajneesh Kumar, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, Flipkart Group.

According to the company, it is working on various initiatives, including the introduction of eco-friendly paper shreds, replacing poly pouches with recycled paper bags, replacing bubble wraps and airbags with carton waste shredded material, and 2-ply roll, as part of its long-term sustainability initiatives.